Ravena
by twilight35711
Summary: This is 120 years after Wolfsong, when Wyvern's Court is destroyed by the falcons, and only one family is left. The Silvermead family. A girl named Ravena is the daughter of Nacias and Darien.
1. Chapter 1

Ravena

The sky was a dark, bleak gray, which never gave way to the sun. The only dull light shown from a tiny cottage on a high crag above the water. The family that lived there was mine, A'Kamid Ravena Silvermead. I lived with my mother and father. My father is a falcon, one of the only ones allowed to live in this land. His name is Nacias Silvermead. He was part of the queen's personal guard. He took over as head of the Tuuli Thea's personal guard when the queen left. He had been for a long time, until the falcon army came along and destroyed Wyvern's Court. My mother is a sparrow, and was just a mother; her name is Darien Silvermead. I was to be pair-bond to the Tuuli Thea's son; when the army came, he fought and was killed. My skin is pale, almost white, and my hair is a raven black. No one but the Tuuli Thea's son ever looked me at, because of my long legs. Also, I also keep my hair braided, which is not proper for any young maiden. Still, my hair is long enough to wrap around any enemies neck and I am the best warrior of my time. My parents always fawn over me, but I know that they will only be proud of me when I set out to find a mate and give them the grandchildren they have always wanted. So, I decided, even though I am still only 16, I'm want to set out and find my pair-bond. The passageway from our tiny cottage to the white city is counted as very dangerous for any young maiden. However, I believe that since I am not pretty at all, I will be in no danger on the voyage. On the plus side, I am also a descendant of two avians, and have the power to shift into a raven. I felt the shiny black feathers on the back of my neck fluff up at the prospect of being up in the air, once again in my raven form. I grabbed my falcon poison dagger given to me by my father, and put it in one of my belts. I put my snake knife in my arm sheath and eased it on up to my elbow. I packed a bag of food, for the first night, and settled down to meditate for an hour or two. My falcon heritage allowed me to center all my powers, allowing my tiny amount of magic to flow around my core. As soon as I was done, I shifted into my raven form and flew into the sky.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The ground came up, nearer and nearer to my feet as I landed by a cave for my first night's sleep. I only shifted into my Demi form. Allowing my large, soft, black wings to cover me as I slept.

'A bright field was covered in flowers; snakes and avians alike lived together in peace. Some of the children were even half avian and half snake. There was a dark shape in the sky, and that puzzled me. I was also a gyrfalcon. My black and white wings cascaded down my back. My hair was a pale blond, and stripes of blue hung down in front of my face; a little girl, a tiny gyrfalcon, pulled on my hand. "Mommy, can I go play with Ay'lee? Huh? Can I?"

A man, his hand around my waist, stood by my side, his gyrfalcon wings stood out from the crowd, same as mine. The little girl shifted to a gyrfalcon and flew away. Out of nowhere, a giant male gyrfalcon came a swooped her up, and I could tell by the way she fell that she was dead.'

I woke up, crying out with a yell and sweating profusely. My heart was beating wildly, and I knew I had just looked into the future, a _sakkri'a'she_. I flew over to the spring up on the top of the mountain. I looked in and saw my eyes, normally a pale gray, had turned violet. At the front of my hair, it had turned a light blue. I was in my Demi form, something I usually didn't do, and I had done it unconsciously. My father's eyes turned violet whenever he used magic, but I had so little it was only enough to protect me when I was attacked. Then, I started to wonder. If my mother was a sparrow and my father was a falcon, how was I a raven? I could not find any ravens in my heritage either. I sat down on a log and started thinking. It was sunset when I heard a sharp, falcon's cry from next to me. I jumped, and looked beside me to find a male gyrfalcon, about my age, sitting next to me.

"I saw your hair, and your wings, and your complexion, and it just didn't make sense to me. I mean, how can a falcon be a crow?" The young man pondered this for a second, the continued. "My name is Zachary, and I am on a quest to become an alistar. I am looking for an eligible lady falcon. You haven't seen any around here, have you?"

I answered, not quite comprehending, "My name is Ravena, and, um, my mother was a sparrow. I think I was just pondering that same thing. I would appreciate it if you could help me with that, and then, we could help each other. I am looking for a compatible alistar, for I am 16 and old enough for a mate."

The man, Zachary, thought about my offer, then replied, "Hmmmm. I think I could help you. Have you ever heard of force-change?" When I shook my head no, he continued. "It is when a falcon uses it's magic to bond you to a different shape-shifter, and you steal that shifter's shape. Let me try to fix it, if you really are force-changed, my magic should be strong enough to get you back to your original form. It will probably be a sparrow, unless your father was a falcon, then you will be a falcon too. Give me your arms."

Zachary put his hands on my arms, and I felt a sort of warmth spread up them. Sleep overtook me, and I let myself succumbs to it's grasp. When I awoke, it was by his falcon cry again, but this time, it was sharper, as if from surprise. The man stuttered, looking for words.

"Mmy, mmy, lady! I should have, but I couldn't, but maybe…look at yourself in the spring!"

He led me over to the spring and showed me my reflection. My hair was the same pale blond it had been in the dream, my eyes had turned shockingly violet, brighter than last time. I had tanned brown skin and my wings were that of a gyrfalcon. My face was sharp, but soft, and I realized that my face looked like my father's, and also the Empress Araceli's.

"What, does, this, all, mean? Why did you call me 'my lady'? Am I royalty?" I looked at him in shock, seeing his face for the first time.

"Yes, I do believe you are royalty, for you have the same face as my empress. I must formally introduce, myself, and give you your proper title. I am Lord Zachary of Ahnmik, and you are Princess Ravena of Ahnmik. I am a lord of the court at Ahnmik. And, I think that my mother was a good friend of your father, when she was at Wyvern's Court for two years. My mother is part of the Empress' Mercy, a group whose only job is to protect the empress in any way possible. If I had not found you, I would have been named Emperor after the current Empress died. Which, of course, would have taken a long time; she has already lived one millennia on this earth. Now, if you are ready to go, I would get yelled at by my mother if I didn't bring the Princess home."

He shifted into his gyrfalcon form and flew into the sky. I shifted into my falcon form and relished at the new heights I could soar to. I let out a falcon's cry, and felt Zachary's voice brush against my mind.

_Ravena, don't fool around. I ask you to just follow me and go._

We dived through the trees, twisting through the undergrowth to a cave, much higher than the one Ravena had picked before. This cave was already set up, as if somebody had been living here for days. Zachary shifted into his Demi form, and I noticed he had a shirt that had a low back. I was glad I was not dumb and had worn a low backed shirt and brought one to change into when I had to wash the one I wore. There was a wash of crystals on the wall inside the cave and I was surprised to find that my eyes had turned to a pale blue. I curled on the ground, shifting out of Demi form. I was already drifting off when Zachary pulled up a blanket and lay it down over both of us. His breath was sweet like mint, and it calmed my mind. I soon fell into a light sleep, just barely registering when Zachary put his arm around me.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I woke up when Zachary's arm rolled off mine. As we'd been sleeping, we had moved closer and closer, and our noses were touching. All I had to do was lean in a little bit to kiss that perfect face. I was thinking on this when I opened my eyes and saw Zachary had his open too. Zachary looked at how close we were and smiled. Then, without any warning, his warm lips were on mine. A gentle pressure on my lips, his lips were soft, and I felt his mouth open on mine. His tongue darted about, his arms curved around my waist, running through my hair. I let it go for a long while, and then slightly pulled away. I smiled at him; he kissed me again, and got up. He shifted into Demi form again and went out of the cave. When he was gone, I put on a pair of airy traveling pants and a falcon blouse that allowed me to grow my wings in Demi form. I brushed out my hair and braided it. I went outside when I heard Zachary starting a fire. I looked outside to see him roasting a rabbit over a fire. I walked over and put my hands on his wings. He put one of his hands over mine, and pulled me over to the log. He gave me some of the rabbit, and we ate in silence. I stole looks at him whenever I could, and I could tell he did the same.

"You know, I set out to find a pair-bond, and I think I've found one." Zachary went down on one knee. "Arami'ka Ravena of Ahnmik, I love you, and ask you to be your pair-bond and alistar." He pulled himself back, and looked hopeful.

"Zachary of Ahnmik, I accept your proposal to be my alistar and pair-bond. Do you accept the responsibilities of being and alistar and pair-bond?" I had learned this from the day I was old enough to accept an alistar.

Zachary pulled me into an intimate embrace. I took it as a yes and kissed him back. We heard another falcon's cry and pulled back. The falcon was a peregrine, smaller than both of us. We knew this falcon could not hurt us, but we both reached for our weapons. The falcon landed, changing into a woman. Her features were sharp, narrow eyes coming down into a sharp mouth. Her eyes were so dark that they were almost black. Her golden wings stood out against her dark hair. Her eyes surveyed them, and then she bowed down on one knee.

"My lady, I am sorry to have interrupted, but the empress felt your magic rise and sent me to find you. I am one of the empress' personal guards; Clarissa of Ahnmik is my name. I am supposed to bring you back to Ahnmik. You, my lord, should come back with us, your mother has been looking for you. And, you both might want to make your announcement about your pair bonding. Yes, I heard the whole thing." The woman changed back into her falcon form and waited on the ground. Both Zachary and I shifted and joined Clarissa in the sky. We easily darted around each other, Clarissa barely keeping up. We started to see other falcons around us as we neared the white city. There were gyrfalcons, peregrines, alpomados, and merlins alike, flying beside us. I heard snatches of the conversations from the falcons around us.

"_No…of course darling…oh, I don't…just do it…left by the shm'Ecl…Lillian, just listen to me!"_

Zachary and Clarissa turned, heading towards the palace. I quickly followed, turning just after them. Zachary and I raced towards the palace, and had already changed back by the time Clarissa arrived to escort us to the palace. Clarissa made sure we looked presentable, and then walked us up to the palace doors. She knocked once, and then led us into the throne room. Empress Araceli was seated on the throne, her face the mirror of mine. Her hair was gray, and she had crow's feet at the corner of her eyes.

"Ah, Ravena of Ahnmik, I see you have finally risen to your magic. And, my young man Zachary has given you back your true falcon form. Now, who are Tuuli Thea and Diente? Sive and Salem?" The empress gave her a quizzical look.

"No, Sive's granddaughter Aleya was on the throne till your armies destroyed us. And Salem's son, Zenle Corbania, was Diente. How am I a falcon if my mother was a sparrow?" I gave her that same quizzical stare.

"Smart young falcon," the queen laughed. "Your mother is Darien, whom I bonded to a female sparrow, and force-changed her into that shape." The empress looked down her nose at me. "You look more like your father, my great-grandson. Now, if you are ready to begin your training as the next empress, my age is beginning to catch up with me. I only have a few more years left in me." She stood up and left the room, calling back over her shoulder, "But, darling, I must rest first. I would advise you and your alistar get to bed too."

Zachary and I just looked at each other, puzzled at how the empress knew we were mates.

Then, I just shrugged and tramped up the stairs to the room, somehow knowing how to get there, though I'd never been there before. The bed had it's sheets pulled down, prepared for us. My wings shifted and melted into my back, a smooth feeling in my skin, and changed into my nightgown. Zachary was already in bed when I got back from the bathroom, and I wriggled up next to him. I looked up and saw the sky through the clear crystal ceiling. It was made up of a billion different colors and hues, all reflecting against the diamond ceiling. As I slowly drifted into sleep, I heard a singing that reverberated through my body.

A rustle of sheets next to me awoke me in the morning. Zachary was getting out of bed, trying unsuccessfully to not wake me up. I just laughed and got out of bed. He looked at me sheepishly, and then went to clean up. I was still brushing my hair when he came out of the room. I counted, 89..90..91..92..93..94 ..95..96..97..98..99..100. I got up and moved to the bath, still somehow warmed by falcon magic. I let the sweet aroma of all the herbs that were in the bathwater drift slowly into my nose. I scrubbed my body with enticing soaps and lotions. When I got out, I went over to the full-length mirror. The eyes that stared back at me were completely alien. The depth of violet was dizzying, and I pulled back, surprising myself. When I looked back in the mirror, I saw Zachary behind me, his eyes tracing my curves, my chest, my waist, my thighs, and appraising me. When he saw me staring into his eyes, he lowered his head and walked back into the room. When I went back into the room, Zachary was pulling his hair back into a ponytail, hanging the strands of blue at the sides of his face. I quickly dressed, while Zachary told me how to hang my sleeves, my belt, and my pouch. When I started to braid my hair, he pulled my hands away and told me that the falcon law forbade me from braiding it. So, I settled to let my hair be pulled into a loose ponytail. I grew my Demi wings when Zachary reminded me and walked beside him into the glistening white city. I noticed as I walked the same singing that I had felt the night before pounding through my body, filling my ears with its beauty. When I asked Zachary where the singing was coming from, he laughed and replied, "It's the streets and walls silly, surely even if you didn't grow up here you would have read that in history."

We walked down to the palace, all of the falcons we passed bowing down to me, and staring at Zachary. They all seemed surprised that he would befriend royalty.

"Zachary," I whispered, "you don't have to go through with this. If it's embarrassing you just tell me."

He chuckled and squeezed my hand, "My, my, don't you worry about me. Actually, I'm enjoying the attention." He walked a few steps in silence, then stopped, and gestured for me to look up. The palace stood in front of us; it's beauty overwhelming my every pore. All of the spires reaching to the stars, and the singing almost made me stumble. It was louder here than anywhere. I stared openmouthed at it for a few more minutes before Zachary tugged at my hand, pulling me along in his wake.

We passed so many spires I stopped counting after ten. Zachary tugged me along, till I was stumbling to keep up with him. We stopped in front of the palace doors. Zachary fixed my hair and my dress and led me inside. All of the men and ladies were dressed so finely that even in my best clothes I felt poor. Then, we got to the throne room. Empress Araceli was seated on her throne, wearing robes of white silk so fine, they looked about to fall off her shoulders. Yet, she still managed to look more regal then Aleya or Zenle ever had. Her diamond crown perched lightly on the crown of her curled white hair. I gasped as a woman sat down by her side. I had heard her described by my mother hundreds of times. This was Lily, my grandfather's first lover. Of course, when he'd come back, Hai was the only one he'd give his heart too. Technically, I was royalty, but that did not matter in the least. Ever since Hai the wyvern had renounced her title and become fully falcon, we had no right to the title of Diente.

"Come my daughter, the falcon city is awaiting to receive her new queen, and our citizens need to know of this and the king." Araceli smiled gently at Zachary, and though she might have been harsh in her youth, she looked very grandmotherly now. Her white hair was escaping from her loose ponytail, spiraling in curves on the side of her face. It looked as though it had purposefully been curled that way. The once cold eyes had softened with age and now looked kindly upon the two young faces looking up at her. As I stared into the depths of those eyes, I got a sense of falling, and…

_"A beautiful woman sat on the throne. Next to her, her King smiled down coldly at the man begging for forgiveness. His voice rang cruelly from his throat._

_'You shall be executed tomorrow at the crack of dawn. You are lucky I have given you this punishment. If it were up to My Queen, you would be given to your wife so you could watch her dance with other men, as you have danced with other women. Now, guards, take him underground to wait till dawn.'"_

I looked away, before I thought anyone had noticed. However, I knew Araceli must have. She smiled slowly at me before I spoke.

"Mistress, what should we do when the city folk see us?" The whole court looked at me as though I was crazy.

"You mean you don't know?" Empress Araceli silently asked. "I would have thought that my young man Zachary here would have filled you in-

"Zachary Morrison Juniper!" A tall woman from the court interrupted the Empress. "You're lucky your father is not here, or you would have gotten a severe beating, whether you had found the Princessa or not!" Her tone turned softer, "Begging your pardon Princessa and Empress. He would have found a way to avoid me otherwise."

She pulled Zachary away by his ear and sat him down next to her.

"Excuse me Lady Juniper," said Araceli, "but I do believer that 'Princessa Ravena' would very much like her alistar back."

Zachary's mother stared openmouthed as he went and stood by my side. I pecked him on the cheek and whispered, "Darling, you should not upset your mother any more than you already have."

He smiled shortly at me, and then his face resumed the emotionless mask he wore in public.  
"Now, Princess Ravena and Prince Zachary, I present to you your kingdom!"

And, with a flourish, the doors of the hall opened. Outside of them stood citizens of Ahnmik. Big or small, old or young, all stood cheering before the next leaders of their land. I smiled, shyly at first, then showing my teeth, as I laughed with my alistar, then planted a firm kiss upon his soft lips. The citizens cheered wildly, and a thought ran through my head. _'What would happen if…if they found out everything, what would Zachary do? Oh my God!'_

Then, I continued smiling, the thought fading from my mind. I heard a voice ring out, and at first I thought it to be the Goddess Anhamirak, but then I remembered that we were no longer in Wyvern's Court, and that the God Ahnmik ruled here.

"Children of Ahnmik, I ask of you one thing, that you accept these two young avians to be your next leaders. Grant them peace and long life. Let no one defy their wishes. I give you Princess Ravena and Prince Zachary!"

I turned just in time to see Araceli close her mouth and smile at me. I smiled back, and then, addressed my kingdom myself.

"Many of you may scorn me for not having grown up here. However, it was the choices of my father and his father before him that brought about my upbringing in Wyvern's Court. I would have much rather grown up here. This city is hundreds of times more beautiful than I could have imagined. I am quick to learn and believe that in the time Empress Araceli has left I can learn enough. If you would take me, I will willingly be your Queen. This White City has endless opportunities, and I believe I have found my place here."

I smiled radiantly down upon my subjects, and heard later, that to some of them, I looked like a goddess. My hair had been swirling around my face, my eyes turned dark violet. My dress had clung to my figure, outlining every curve of my new body, and seeming like a second skin. Even Zachary had thought that a goddess had replaced me. I then turned from the doorway and swept up the staircase. Zachary ran after me, calling my name, but I refused to turn. From what Zachary tells me, when I got to the room, I collapsed at the foot of the bed. He carried me to the bed and ran, almost flying, to tell the Empress and the doctor. Both of them came into my room, but neither could use their magic on me. Zachary stayed by my bedside night and day. For three weeks, I lay in my bed, neither moving nor waking. They say it was like watching a statue. Finally, my eyes fluttered. I took a deep breath, the first I had in weeks. I felt my body shudder as my muscles unlocked. I looked up to see three worried faces swimming above me.

"W-wh-what happened?" I asked.

"You used too much magic, and, being untrained, it almost sucked the life out of you. You were lucky to have survived. Most falcons hide in the shm'Ecl." The doctor's words made no sense, so I blocked the rest out. I only had eyes and ears for Zachary. To me, his face looked like that of a worried mother's. I giggled, quietly at first, then louder and louder until the laugh came from the middle of my chest. Zachary looked at me as though I was crazy.

"You-you l-look la-like m-my MOM!" I bust out. All of the sudden, Zachary was laughing with me. The laugh seemed to spread until all of the room, including the doctors and nurses were laughing. It even seemed as though the music had stopped, and in its place was laughter. I couldn't process whether it was because of what I had said, or that they were relieved I was better, but at the moment, I didn't really care. Zachary stood up, opened the window, and yelled, "The Princessa Ravena is awoken!"

I heard a great cheering, and my heart almost flew out of my chest. Here I was, in a city I ruled, with the man I loved. What could be more perfect?...


End file.
